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The murder of an undercover cop in a New York City Housing Project in 1957 has unexpected ties to the unsolved disappearance of a young father walking home in those same Projects with his son, Angelo, on Christmas Eve 1951. The only witness to the cop killing is Angelo, now 13, as he was on his way to commit arson at 2:00am. The killers saw him. These events forge a union between a priest, a Mafia boss, a police detective, and Angelo, a gang member. In Weepers, we see that, if you drop a rock into the East River, the ripples will go all the way to Italy. In the end, Weepers shows us that the courage of the underdog—despite fear and moral ambiguity—will conquer intimidation.

What Readers Are Saying

…”gritty, emotional and powerful . . . from start to finish. It's a novel filled with action, with twists and turns all the way through, designed to throw you off the scent but leading you neatly to a great conclusion. Nick Chiarkas has nailed the era perfectly. . ."

5-Star Review Readers’ Favorite

"Weepers is a page-turning murder mystery and a fascinating look at New York in the 1950's...It makes you want to crawl into the book and not come out."

Mitch HenckThe All New Mitch Henck Show

"A magnificent debut! This riveting suspense novel grabbed me on page one with its secrets, danger, and emotional power and kept it up all the way to the terrific ending with its twists and turns. Weepers has made my list of recommended novels."

Christine DeSmetMystery author and director of Write-by-the-Lake

"Weepers deserves a large audience; it reads like a dream and moves like a bullet. It will break your heart and leave you hoarse from cheering."

Doug MoeWisconsin State Journal and author

"Weepers is a fascinating glimpse at mid century life in New York City's public housing projects. Full of gritty action, Chiarkas' depiction of Angelo's fast-paced journey from being a kid to becoming a man kept me turning pages late into the night."

Ara BurklundAuthor of

Inspiration For Weepers

“I grew up in the Al Smith housing projects on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, where Weepers takes place. When I was in the fourth grade my mother was told by the principal of PS 1 that, “Nick is unlikely to ever complete high school so you must steer him toward a simple and secure vocation.” Instead, I became a writer, with a few stops along the way; a New York City Police Officer; the Deputy Chief Counsel for the President’s Commission on Organized Crime; the Director of the Wisconsin State Public Defender Agency. I received a Doctorate from Columbia University; a Law Degree from Temple; and was a Pickett Fellow at Harvard. How many mothers are told their child is hopeless? How many kids with potential simply surrender to desperation? That’s why I wrote Weepers — for them.”– Nick Chiarkas